Doordarshan is the public television broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati, a public service broadcaster nominated by the Government of India. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in the world in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15 2009, Doordarshan celebrated its 50th anniversary.

History of Doordarshan
Doordarshan had a modest beginning with the experimental telecast starting in Delhi on 15 September 1959 with a small transmitter and a makeshift studio. The regular daily transmission started in 1965 as a part of All India Radio. The television service was extended to Bombay (now Mumbai) and Amritsar in 1972. Till 1975, seven Indian cities had television service and Doordarshan remained the only television channel in India. Television services were separated from radio in 1976. Each office of All India Radio and Doordarshan were placed under the management of two separate Director Generals in New Delhi.

National telecasts were introduced in 1982. In the same year, colour TV was introduced in the Indian market with the live telecast of the Independence Day speech by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 15 August 1982, followed by the 1982 Asian Games being held in Delhi. Now more than 90 percent of the Indian population can receive Doordarshan (DD National) programmes through a network of nearly 1400 terrestrial transmitters and about 46 Doordarshan studios produce TV programs today.

Early National Programming
The 80s was the era of Doordarshan with shows like Hum Log (1984), Buniyaad (1986-87) and comedy shows like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984).

The first ever daily soap Hum Log, Buniyaad and Nukkad and mythological dramas like Ramayana (1987-88) and Mahabharata (1989-90), and later on Bharat Ek Khoj, The Sword of Tipu Sultan, The Great Maratha, Shaktimaan, and India`s First Superhero.

Hindi film songs based programs like Chitrahaar, Rangoli, Ek Se Badkar Ek and Superhit Muqabla.

Crime thrillers like Karamchand (starring Pankaj Kapoor), Barrister Roy (starring Kanwaljeet), Byomkesh Bakshi (starring Rajit Kapoor), Reporter (launching Shekhar Suman), Tehkikaat and Janki Jasoos, Suraag (starring Sudesh Berry).

Shows targeted at children include Fairy tale Theatre, Dada Dadi ki Kahaniyan, Vikram Betaal, Sigma, Stone Boy, Malgudi Days, Tenali Rama, Potli Baba Ki (puppet show), He-Man, Superhuman Samurai Cyber Squad, Knight Rider, Street Hawk and a horror serial Kile ka Rahasya (1989).

Other popular shows include Oshin a Japanese drama series, Trishna, Mr. Yogi, Neem Ka Ped, Circus, Fauji (launching Shahrukh Khan), Rani Laxhmibai, Dastan-E-Hatim Tai, Alif Laila, Gul Gulshan Gulfam, Udaan, Rajani, Talaash, Phir Wohi Talash, Katha Saagar, Nupur, Mirza Ghalib, Wagle ki Duniya, Phulvanti, Sangharsh, Lifeline, Kashish (launching Malvika Tiwari), Srimaan Srimati, Tu tu mein mein, Junoon, Ajnabi (starring Danny Denzongpa), Zabaan Sambhal Ke, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Sansaar, Swabhimaan, Chanakya, Shanti (launching Mandira Bedi), Sea Hawks (starring R. Madhavan), Surabhi, Tana Bana, Mujrim Hazir (launching Navni Parihar), Jaspal Bhatti`s Flop Show, Alif Laila, Meri Awaaz Suno, Captain Vyom and Chandrakanta.

On DD-1 National programmes, Regional programmes and Local Programmes are carried on time-sharing basis. Metro Entertainment channel carries Network programmes from Delhi and also Single-Metro Programmes from the four metro cities. The Regional Languages Satellite channels have two components - The Regional service for the particular state relayed by all terrestrial transmitters in the state and additional programmes in the Regional Language in prime time and non-prime time available only through cable operators. Sports Channel is exclusively devoted to the important sporting events of national and International importance. DD-News channel, launched on 3rd November, 2003, which replaced the DD-Metro Entertainment channel, provides 24-Hour news service. The Regional Languages Satellite channels have two components - The Regional service for the particular state relayed by all terrestrial transmitters in the state and additional programmes in the Regional Language in prime time and non-prime time available only through cable operators. Sports Channel is exclusively devoted to the broadcasting of sporting events of national and international importance. This is the only Sports Channel which telecasts rural sports like Kho-Kho, Kabaddi etc. something which private broadcasters will not attempt to telecast as it will not attract any revenues.

The National Programmes on Doordarshan
National unity and understanding between people of different states is an unexceptional idea, but whether a common programme broadcast simultaneously from all the TV centres can help in achieving this objective is quite another thing as Mr Sathe, Minister for I and B founded when he decided to introduce the 90 minute National programme from August 15, 1982. Originally this was to be started from June 1st, but it had to be delayed because microwave links could not be established in time between Delhi and all the TV Kendra`s. The fare was to consist of news in Hindi and English, and programmes reflecting music, dance and other aspects of life, literature and culture of all regions. Although some of Doordarshan programmes like `A gift of Love` have won prizes abroad, and some other programmes have been notable successes, the general feeling among viewers and other in a position to judge is that by and large the general output has lacked the stamp of quality and imaginative creativity. One of the recent developments was the Madras TV centre decided in view of persistent demand from its viewers, to shift the weekly Tamil feature film from Saturdays to Sundays, and the usual Hindi films to Saturdays instead of Sundays.

Now there are seven full fledged centres at Delhi, Mumbai, Jalandar, Srinagar, Kolkata, Madras and Lucknow; eight transmitting centres at Raipur, Muzaffarpur, Jaipur, Sambalpur, Gulbarga, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Nagpur, and relay centres at Kanpur, Mussoorie, Pune, Amritsar, Bangalore, Panaji, Allahabad, Gwalior and Asansol. There are also three Upgraha Doordarshan Kendras (Satellite programme production centres) at Delhi, Cuttack and Hyderabad and 20 low-power transmitters in various states to provide coverage to national and other programmes through relays. Doordarshan has 45 transmitters at work, and the programmes reach about 28% of the population.

Active Doordarshan
It is an Interactive Service of Tata Sky to show 4 TV Channels of Doordarshan which are not available on Tata sky as normal channels. Active Doordarshan channels are DD Kashir, DD Podhigai, DD Punjabi and DD Gujarati. DD has its own DTH service called DD Direct Plus. It is free of charge.

International Broadcasting
DD-India is being broadcasted internationally through Satellite. It is available in 146 countries worldwide; however the information on picking up this channel in other countries is not easily available. In the UK, DD-India was available through the Eurobird Satellite on the Sky system on Channel 833 (the logo is shown as Rayat TV). The timing and programming of DD-India international is different from that of India. Transmissions for Sky Digital U.K. stopped in June 2008 and DirecTV U.S. stopped in July 2008.

Presently, Doordarshan operates 19 channels - two All India channels, 11 Regional Languages Satellite Channels (RLSC), four State Networks (SN), an International channel and a Sports Channel. Regular satellite transmissions began in 1982 (the same year colour transmission began). Now more than 87 percent of population of the country can receive Doordarshan programmes through a network of nearly 1044 terrestrial transmitters. About 46 Doordarshan Studios are producing TV software. The Doordarshan televises through the Official and Associate Official languages, and its regional channels televise through the state dominant languages and dominant minority languages. It has ten regional language satellite channels, a three-tier service: the national, regional and local, and uses the language and idiom of the particular region.